WASHINGTON, DC (Herald de Paris) — ¬†We have all been deeply shocked and horrified by the Parisian attacks. I was thinking today, that after I had the chance to catch my breath in the fast paced “news” cycles as a White House Correspondent, where was the art in all this? ¬†I have a background as an artist, an award winning director, actor, writer, camera person and I now find myself now telling stories in a different way, important stories in an immediate way, in a way that is crucially important to specific moment in times.

I thought today, at the right time, after the immediacy of it all, there is always room for art. ¬†I pondered from where and when it would come. ¬†France has a deep rich history of art and culture that is unsurpassed. ¬†It was, therefore, a moment of graciousness, tranquility and thankfulness when a post caught my eye on Facebook, from fellow long time Los Angeles filmmaker, Rich Martini – whose use of two well known French paintings, with a simple message,¬†put a historic perspective on this whole matter.

It was, put simply. only something an artist could do; and also only something an artist could recognize.

As Rich Martini so insightfully noted, “Monet and Manet. ¬†One is a military parade, the other the street behind. ¬†One shows the banners, the other the after effect, a lone legless vet making his way up the street after the pomp of war. Funny how the cycle continues.”

Rich Martini authored, “Flipside: ¬†A Toursits Guide on how to navigate the Afterlife,” and his work may be found at www.film.com and here www.richmartini.com